Four Healing Steps

We as individuals, groups, organizations or institutions believe in Confession, Repentance, Reconciliation and Restitution.

Confession (Knowing):
Stating the truth and acknowledging the unjust or hurtful actions of a group of people,an institution or organization, or an individual.

For racial healing, this means telling our history truthfully without minimizing painful elements. It means telling it both from perpetrators' and victims' points of view. It also means truly seeing, without defensiveness and without blame, the ways in which life continues to be easier for European Americans because of the color of their skin.

Repentance (Caring):
Showing regret about having done something wrong and making a commitment to turn away from hurtful acts toward constructive and sensitive, caring actions. Penitents could be my groups of people, my institutions or organizations, or myself.

This means seeing slavery and its legacy of racism as the inhuman and insensitive acts they were and are today. It means making personal commitments to avoid racist words and actions and to consistently speak up and act in the face of personal and institutional racism and white privilege. It also means being willing to see in one's own activities and attitudes the unintentional racism that is part of the world we inherited.

Reconciliation (Reaching out):
Proposing restitution, seeking and receiving forgiveness, and pursuing sincere fellowship with previously oppressed people, enemies or opponents.

This means creating opportunities to get to know people of color and respecting people without regard to color or station. It also means suggesting ways to correct the wrongs of the past.

Restitution (Acting):
Attempting to repair or restore that which has been damaged or destroyed and consistently seeking justice wherever we have power to act or to influence those in authority to act.

This means acting on one's personal commitments by consistently speaking and acting for equal treatment and respect for all. It also means acting in ways big and small to understand and redress the injury of racism in our society by using the many social, cultural, economic and political ways that are possible. It means staying involved.

back to top